Over the past few years I have been very conscious that photographs convey a lot more than words but that has presented a moral dilemma.
These days when images are an ever-present part of our daily lives it is easy to find something on the Web to use as an illustration for an article. In many cases it is possible to find Creative Commons images that can be used as long as there is attribution. Frequently though there are no such images and any that can be found from articles about, say, an exhibition will have an attribution to the photographer.
A few weeks ago we attended an event in the Left Bank Art Gallery to do with creative rights, copyright and resale rights of art and craft. It was an illuminating talk by Karen Workman on behalf of Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and Resale Royalties Aotearoa, a new body that will administer resale royalties from December this year. The talk provided an overview of the rights that we as artists have, and what we can do to protect those rights. One of the topics was the use of images on websites and blogs, and the importance of seeking permission to use those resources.
I am very aware that using photographs on the blog gives readers a better experience and understanding of the topic in question, however it is not always easy or possible to find an image that is available to use under Creative Commons, and it is not always possible to find the photographer to ask permission. In those cases I will use a photograph with the original attribution if there is one so that at least there is credit to the maker. I am always cautious though and that is why, despite readers asking for more images to illustrate the articles, there are none to accompany some of the articles. I hope that the links are helping to provide those pictures.
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